Llanidloes Town’s title ambitions in the MMP Mid Wales League were dashed by the narrowest of margins, despite finishing their campaign with a 6-1 victory at Tywyn Bryncrug.

The race for the division one crown had gone down to the wire, with the Daffs level on points at the top with Llanfair United, who held the advantage with a superior goal difference.

Llani did their bit, but Llanfair were in no mood to slip up as they hit back to beat Kerry 5-2 to become the champions and to step up into the new FAW Conference North next season.

After missing out on a tight last day, Llanidloes manager Hugh Clarke reflected on the positives of the season.

“It was a downer to lose the title on goal difference, but that’s the way it is, and it will make the lads stronger for next season,” said the Daffs manager.

“I’m proud of all the players and what they have achieved. They are a good, genuine bunch who stick together, and many have shown this season they can play at a higher level.

“We have taken points off all the top sides, but where we have slipped up is against teams in the bottom half, which has ultimately cost us. But there have been a lot of positives this season.

“It was fantastic for us to win the Radnorshire Cup, and the whole club is doing well, not just the first team.”

Llani’s result was never in doubt against Tywyn as they scored three times in each half, with Connor Bird bagging a hat-trick. George Clarke netted twice, before Matthew Savage completed the scoring, while Aled Jones provided some consolation for the home team with a superb strike.

Meanwhile Llanfair’s Josh Astley was the hero at a wet and windy Kerry, scoring four goals as the visitors came back form behind twice to score four goals in the last 20 minutes.

Llanfair dominated the early play, with Astley coming close with a header in the first minute, before Karl Seliaerts and Ryan McVeagh both spurned chances to put the visitors ahead.

Kerry didn’t offer too much danger going forward until the 40th minute when Max Mclaughlin cut in down the left side and squared the ball for Jack Hughes to smash the ball home off the crossbar from close range.

Straight from kick-off, however, Paul Griffiths carried the ball forwards before finding Josh Astley with a lobbed throughball, who then lobbed the on-rushing goalkeeper to equalise.

Early in the second half, Kerry took the lead for the second time. Again, Mclaughlin took the ball down the left wing and Jack Hughes fired low and hard into the bottom right corner.

Llanfair dominated the game and created chance after chance, with Paul Griffiths coming closest when his free kick came back down off the cross bar.

They made the breakthrough when Josh Astley controlled a loose ball on the left hand side of the six-yard box to poke the ball home on 68 minutes.

Astley then missed a great chance with a header from 6 yards and a Paul Griffiths effort went just wide, before Llanfair went ahead on 76 minutes.

A wonderful cross by Nathan Edingington from the left hand side found Alun Hughes at the far post, who crossed brilliantly back across goal for Josh Astley to grab his hat-trick.

Llanfair continued to control the game and in the 90th minute Karl Seliaerts carried the ball into the area from the right hand side, before pulling the ball back for Astley to net his fourth goal of the afternoon from 12 yards.

The icing was put on the cake came with the final kick of the game as Ashley Davies went down the right hand side and found Seliaerts with a lovely through ball, who finished brilliantly to spark wild celebrations for the newly-crowned league champions.

“We were taking nothing for granted. Kerry is never an easy place to go and their record against the top teams is very good,” said Llanfair manager Rhys Stephens, whose side are unbeaten in the league since October.

“We were just looking for one more big performance to get us over the line, but it goes to show what a good league it’s been this season that there were four teams right in it until the last couple of games of the season.

“Llanidloes have been very good all season, so whichever team won it, it would have been fully deserved.”

Carno signed off their season with a 4-1 win over Aberaeron, with two goals each from Jac Petrie and Andy Evans, who took his tally to 30 for the season. Gareth Severs got the reply.

Bow Street hit back from being three goals down to draw 3-3 with Builth Wells at Cae Piod, as goals from Garmon Nutting, Tom Williams and Josh Crowl cancelled out goals from Danny Ives, with a brace, and Richie Powell.

Two days earlier, goals by Joel Metcalf, Chris Roff, Josh Price and Tom Bethell, with a brace, earned Builth Wells a 5-0 win over Churchstoke.

Joey Price scored a hat-trick as Radnor Valley won 6-2 at bottom club Churchstoke last weekend, with Craig Pigott, with a brace, and Matt Croose also scoring, whilst a Wayne Austin brace earned Llansantffraid a 2-2 draw with Llandrindod Wells, who had scored twice through Jamil Adam.